Spanish Town High launches robotics programme

The engineering depart-ment at Spanish Town High School in St Catherine has started to select students for its new robotics engineering programme.

"We are aware of the path that life has taken, therefore when our principal, Dr Ventley Brown, told us about the robotics engineering programme, we were excited," head of the engineering department, Martin Baker, said.

Baker, who holds a degree in electronics engineering from Florida State University and a teaching degree from The Mico University College, said the course was refreshing.

"We (teachers) were instructed in the basic application and assessment of robotics engineering. We are now able to impart sound knowledge to our students. We have already selected 35 from third form," Baker said.

Students will start from building circuit boards to assembling small robots like hexopads (mechanical vehicle that walks on six legs.

"This is a good programme ... this is designed to be introduced as a one-year programme, during which their examination will prove each student's competence," Baker said.

He said that the students are keen on the new programme to come on stream.

"We explained how important the robotics programme can be; the students marvelled. We have seen where some students who harbour other interests are focusing on the programme," Baker said

Baker, in showing how a hexopad moved, said it could be programmed with a phone or computer, or could be self-programmed to operate independently.

"Can you imagine there is an emergency or natural disasters such as fires? One can use these robots to access narrow spaces which might be too small for human beings. With proper information that one received through training, it could be beneficial to many," Brown said.

He said that the app to enable cell phones to control the robots is created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and that there will a barcode for activation.